About Me

Good Bug, Bad Bug: Who's Who, What They Do, and How to Manage Them Organically

A practical guide to some of the most common garden insects, Good Bug, Bad Bug is filled with beautiful pictures and plenty of information about 24 different garden pests and 14 wonderful beneficial insects. Head to www.amazon.com to purchase a copy.

A Gardener's Journal: Life With My Garden

Need a place to record your gardening memories and all the details of the season? Head to Amazon.com or your local bookstore for a brand new book by Doug Oster and Jessica Walliser.

Grow Organic: Over 250 Tips and Ideas for Growing Flowers, Veggies, Lawns and More

To learn more about natural gardening, pick up a copy of Jess and Doug's book - 'Grow Organic'. You can find it at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.

To learn more about The Organic Gardeners radio program, click on one of these links:

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

First harvest of the season!

Well, I picked my first garden goodies last night! I made a salad of fresh, beautiful lettuce (including 'Lolla Rossa' and 'Merlot'), some very mild 'Easter Egg' radishes, and a small bit of chopped spring onions. Delicious! It never fails to amaze me how truly wonderful homegrown food is - especially the first bite of the season. I can't wait for my asparagus patch to mature enough to begin harvesting it. I'm hoping I'll get a few spears next spring. I also made a rhubarb crisp that was really sweet with a crunchy, crisp top. Thanks to Jill Wolff for the fabulous recipe. This weekend I'm going to try another recipe for rhubarb muffins.The strawberries are busy being pollinated and setting their little green fruits. Unless we get some severe weather, I think we are in for a treat by mid-June. There are literally thousands of little berries out there. My pots are filled with a blend of compost and organic potting soil and are just waiting to be planted this weekend. I was in Missouri two weeks ago at Baker Creek Seeds for their spring planting festival, and there was a fellow there selling succulents. I came home with 12 little pots of them (the TSA officer 'reading' the xray got a kick out of the contents of my carry-on). I'm going to put them in a shallow terracotta pot that sits on top of an old iron wash basin stand on the back patio. I'll photograph it after it's planted and post the shot so you can have a look-see.I'm planning on picking up all my heirloom tomato babies from Mindy Schwartz at My Garden Dreams Urban Farm and Nursery early next week. I purchased from her last year and had great success with the plants. Of course I can't remember what I ordered, so it will be a pleasant surprise. Thank goodness everything is always well labeled!I'll be spending Saturday shopping at my favorite local nurseries for my annuals and some more seeds. With toddler in tow, it should be an interesting experience. Lots in bloom right now in the perennial beds - and my special dandelion collection is particularly stunning these days.